Most individuals value certain memories above others, and given the frail nature of human memory, desire aids which can help them retain and supplement these particularly valued memories. One traditional means of doing this has been the use of photo albums, which provide a means of organizing and preserving photographs capturing various visual scenes.
The patent literature provides various examples of different types of keepsake and photo albums. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,948 to Ruebens discloses a photo album in which each page of the album is partially covered by a transparent sheet attached along several of its edges to the leaf page. Additional lines of attachment between the transparent sheet and the leaf page are oriented so as to permit horizontal or vertical storage of photographs, which can be stored on both sides of the leaf page.
Another example is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,739 to Olson, which discloses a photo album comprising a plurality of pages in a binder, each of which serves as a photograph frame. Each page has a backing portion and a frame portion which contains an aperture for viewing an inserted photograph. Inserted photographs held in place by adhesive such as two-sided tape on the back of the frame section. Alignment lines may be used on the backing to help correctly position the photographs. Once the photograph is aligned and attached, the frame is closed over the backing section to create a frame page holding a photograph.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,667 to Jordan discloses a memorabilia album which is designed to retain a variety of objects, such as holograms, cards, fragrance samples, and fingerprints. The invention consists of a book-like album with a front cover which carries a picture which is attached by glue or Velcro. The memorabilia album consists of a long rectangular sheet folded into a plurality of portions. Different areas within the portions are designated for different items, such as a poem, fingerprints, and various stencils which the user can use to illustrate the interior of the album.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,730 to Alspaw discloses a personalized photograph collection book, in which the pages of the book are made to convey a self-contained message or theme through the use of pictorial representation. The book is conventional in structure, with a binder and cover portions. However, each page is made of three distinct components: a photograph portion configured to receive photographs and hold them in place, a pictorial portion spaced horizontally from the photograph portion, and a caption portion spaced vertically from the photograph portion. The book may also be provided with an instructional tear out page behind the front cover, describing how the book is typically used.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,413 to Tran discloses a photograph album which also serves as a standing frame for displaying selected photographs within the album. The album has an overall book-shaped design, with a binder, inserted pages, and a cover. The cover wraps inward to overlap selected pages within the album, with the overlapping cover portions providing a viewing window through with the covered photographs can be seen. The pages of the album can hold photographs through a variety of means, such as twin plies of thin polyethylene plastic. Fasteners are provided to lock the cover portions over the pages which hold photographs which the user would like to display. Thus, the album can be used both for storing photographs and as a freestanding structure to display selected pictures.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,322,272 to Solis discloses a photograph album with a novel means of attaching the photographs to the pages. The album consists of a cover, a binder, and interior pages, but is distinguished by the fact that a plurality of meltable segments are provided which can be positioned on the photograph pages. Photographs are positioned where desired over the meltable segments, and heat is applied to fix the photographs in place. The pages of the photo album consist of a rigid backing portion and a transparent cover portion.
These examples help illustrate the myriad of designs developed to meet the varied objectives and requirements of those desiring to store and display photographs and other memorabilia. However, while there has been substantial effort expended in the design of photograph albums, there exists a continuing need for a new and improved photograph album which combines allow an individual to display and organize photographs, articles, journal entries, keepsakes, and other memorabilia in an easy-to-use book. The present invention substantially fulfills this need.